Iroha foresees tough ‘fight’ for Eagles shirts

By Fidelis Ebu
Former Eagles’ defender, Ben Iroha has predicted difficulty for the foreign-based professionals dominating the team against Guinea in the forthcoming African Cup of Nations qualifier in Conakry .

CELEBRATION ••• Home-based Super Eagles player celebrating their goal against Senegal during the final of the last WAFU Championship at MKO Abiola Stadium Abeokuta. Photo: Sylva Eleanya.

Iroha, who is currently drilling the home-based players pending the arrival of those playing abroad ahead of the continental tie, said the determination being shown by the home-based players would make it difficult for the foreign-based pros to take earn automatic shirts in the team.

“I’m beginning to see determined home-based players, and if this determination continues, the foreign-based pros would need to work hard to win a shirt.

“From next Monday, we’ll begin to know who makes the team as the pros must have arrived”, Ben Iroha said.
Remarkably, all the 15 home-based players invited have all reported to camp.

But Ahmed Musa, who was away with the national Under-20 squad that hit Mauritius 2-0 in the African Youth Championship qualifier, joined the team’s training yesterday and said he was prepared to earn a shirt in the line-up.

“I think I have all it takes to win a shirt in the Eagles’ team.I know what it takes to be in the Super Eagles’ squad that is why I have been working toward making it. I know there are lots of strikers in the team, but I’ll work hard to make sure I earn a shirt in the team”, Musa Ahmed said shortly after joining the homers yesterday.

The former Kano Pillars’ striker stated that he had been itching to be in the Eagles squad long before now that his performance in the ancient city-based Pillars had caught the attention of Eagles’ handlers.
“This is a golden opportunity I must not blow”, he said.